Good news for U2 fans..

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

I'm allowed to be disappointed that my favorite band from 1991 to 2006 or 07 has turned into one of the corporate machines they used to satirize so well in the Zoo TV era. I never thought there would come a day when I'd stop loving U2. I'm not bashing; I'm frustrated. I used to defend them pretty passionately, but I just can't anymore. I've been saying for the last decade that I think they have one more really brilliant album in them, on par with The Unforgettable Fire and Achtung Baby. Whether they're willing to take the risks involved with making it is another issue. The last U2 album I really loved was Pop. The last three have all been very uneven to me--some excellent songs ("Breathe" was one of my favorite songs of last year), but too many clunkers, too. If they make the album I still believe they can, I'll eat my words and gladly pay $250 or wait in a GA line for a day and a half to see them. I listen to a lot of other bands, and I go to a lot of shows, but there was nothing like being in a U2 crowd. I miss it, and part of me probably always will, and if that makes people want to criticize me, so be it.

[scribex6]

From my point of view, they delieved that risk-taking album with No Line On the Horizon. Not many bands their size would include songs like "FEZ," the atmospheric title track or the nine-minute "Moment of Surrender" if they just wanted to rest on their laurels. On tour, they could easily just play the hits but instead they played most of the new album and along with rarely played older songs like "Ultraviolight (Light My Way)" and "The Unforgettable Fire."

The "corporate machine" criticism is kind of tired at this point in their career. It seems to come up every time they put out a new album or tour. They got the same criticism from some folks on the ZOO TV Tour because of the high-tech stage set-up they were using. One friend I know complained they sold out with "Achtung Baby" because in his mind they went techno with that album.

Discussions like this one bring to mind an interview with Elvis Costello I once read where responding to criticisms about his changes in style, he responded that he didn't expect all his fans to like all his albums and that each album would find its own audience, whatever size that may be. I think that's a pretty healthy attitude to take.

Finally, I never said you can't be disappointed with them. If they leave you cold, no big deal. We all have different tastes. I just thought it would be nice to offer a different point of view.

[Sir Stewart]

Don't tell me I can't complain about U2!

[Calexico]

Don't tell me I can't complain about U2!

 

It's like complaining about the banks. No one listens anymore.

 

So what are they trying to flog now? Must be time for a down payment on Larry's huge arsehole of a house in Dalkey.

[auctioneer69]

I'm allowed to be disappointed that my favorite band from 1991 to 2006 or 07 has turned into one of the corporate machines they used to satirize so well in the Zoo TV era. I never thought there would come a day when I'd stop loving U2. I'm not bashing; I'm frustrated. I used to defend them pretty passionately, but I just can't anymore. I've been saying for the last decade that I think they have one more really brilliant album in them, on par with The Unforgettable Fire and Achtung Baby. Whether they're willing to take the risks involved with making it is another issue. The last U2 album I really loved was Pop. The last three have all been very uneven to me--some excellent songs ("Breathe" was one of my favorite songs of last year), but too many clunkers, too. If they make the album I still believe they can, I'll eat my words and gladly pay $250 or wait in a GA line for a day and a half to see them. I listen to a lot of other bands, and I go to a lot of shows, but there was nothing like being in a U2 crowd. I miss it, and part of me probably always will, and if that makes people want to criticize me, so be it.

 

Agree in large part with your views. Think the new album is a lot better than its predecessor but U2 are as much a corporation now as a band. I have railed about it before but the carbon monstrosity that it their current tour is ridiculous given Bono's work for and advocacy for the people of Africa. The very people who may suffer most from global climate change. The lucrative contract they signed with Live Nation (who are completely loathsome) dictated a return to stadiums which in turn dictated building the giant crabs or whatever they are called. And how laughable that the band who released a box-set only on I-Tunes a few years ago, who had an exclusive I-POD of their own and who marketed the "Vertigo" song in an Apple commercial should have the tour sponsored by Blackberry. When you add all these things together in addition to a few other things (like moving their corporate HQ out of Ireland) it's amazing most people still have this saintly view of the band.

[redpillbox]

Bad news: Bono's gone in for emergency surgery on his back. I can't imagine this won't lead to postponement of at least half of the US tour, if not the entire leg. That's not the type of thing you just bounce back from and they haven't completed rehearsals and they've already postponed the opening show in SLC.

 

www.atu2.com

 

'According to a statement on U2.com Bono “has today undergone emergency back surgery for an injury sustained during tour preparation training. He was admitted to a specialist neuro surgery unit in a Munich hospital, and is under the care of neuro surgeon Prof. Dr. Jorg Tonn and Dr Muller Wohlfahrt. Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate.

 

Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates.”'

[Moss]

Yikes, I have had tickets for the June 12th show for about 6 months now. Not looking good for that to happen.

 

I wonder how he hurt it? Get well soon Bono.

[Moss]

Well it's official, time to rename this thread:

 

From U2.com:

 

Tour promoters Live Nation have confirmed that the 16 U2360° shows from Salt Lake City on June 3rd, through to New Jersey's Meadowlands Stadium on July 19th, will be rescheduled for 2011.

[Sir Stewart]

Sounds effing painful.

 

 

Prof Tonn told the Reuters news agency Bono had been "in severe pain with partial paralysis of the lower leg".

 

The frontman is "now much better with complete recovery of his motor-deficit", he continued.

 

"His prognosis is excellent but to obtain a sustainable result he must now enter a period of rehabilitation."

 

Dr Muller Wohlfahrt, who also treated the star in Munich, Germany, explained: "Bono suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve.

 

"On review of his MRI scan, I realised there was a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc, and that conservative treatment would not suffice.

 

"We are treating Bono as we would treat any of our athletes and, while the surgery has gone very well, the coming weeks are crucial for a return to full health."

 

His rehabilitation will begin in the next few days, with the intensity increasing over the next eight weeks.

 

 

 

[u2roolz]

I hate to say it, but this all seems like U2 is pulling a fast one on everyone by canceling their shows in North America only which ran through mid July.

Take a look and they are doing a European tour from early August to October. That's not cancelled yet?

Guaranteed when they reschedule in 2011 they will add a Boston date and many others that they couldn't do now in June/July of 2010. It was too soon and there wasn't really a market for it yet. Yeah they are playing Chicago, Toronto and NJ again, but who knows if that's sold out.

But if they add more shows for places they already played in 2009, it will be ok because enough time will have passed to whet the appetite.

 

Ok. I kind of believe Bono has a back injury and was in a hospital, but it really seems (convenient) like next year they're going to go all out and add more shows to make up for some money. Even though they tend to lose money on this tour by traveling from city to city and having multiple stages.

 

It's awful to think this way, but things happened as I imagined. There were no reports at all about rehearsals. Not a peep. I found this odd. Then the 1st you hear about any of that was the announcement of the back injury and that Salt Lake City (the 3rd) is cancelled. Which is odd considering the next concert was 3 days later in Anaheim. Will Bono take magic pills from lucky magic doctors to recover for a show on the 6th? Then you don't hear anything for a few days then they postpone the whole tour until next year which I saw coming because they are booked in the months I mentioned above for Europe. And I don't see them postponing those shows. They are sneaky.

 

Ultimately, this sucks for the fans who have to reschedule trips etc. until next year. And it will be the same time frame too with this outdoor show for the United States. Expect them to be back in May - October of 2011.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Would you rather have had a bunch of conflicting reports instead of a few days of media silence until they could figure out Bono's prognosis? I've been really critical of a lot of the business decisions U2 has made in the last few years, but I don't think this is a business stunt. Sciatica, a herniated disc, and ligament problems that were bad enough to warrant emergency surgery--that's serious stuff. I read somewhere that he had some paralysis in his leg. He's had back problems for years, so I don't think the reports are an exaggeration. They know people travel the world to see them, and I don't think they'd postpone the shows unless they absolutely had to, not this late in the game, when they already had at least part of the crew and a stage built in Salt Lake City. The only other time they rescheduled so many shows was when the Edge's daughter was gravely ill. The bottom line is U2 could tour as much as Wilco does and they'd still probably sell out most shows. There's always a demand for them. I feel really badly for people who have to attempt to reschedule plans, but the band will make it up to them next year.

 

Pitchfork is reporting that they've also canceled their appearance at Glastonbury. Poor Bono

[Sir Stewart]

I hate to say it, but this all seems like U2 is pulling a fast one on everyone by canceling their shows in North America only which ran through mid July.

Take a look and they are doing a European tour from early August to October. That's not cancelled yet?

Guaranteed when they reschedule in 2011 they will add a Boston date and many others that they couldn't do now in June/July of 2010. It was too soon and there wasn't really a market for it yet. Yeah they are playing Chicago, Toronto and NJ again, but who knows if that's sold out.

But if they add more shows for places they already played in 2009, it will be ok because enough time will have passed to whet the appetite.

 

Ok. I kind of believe Bono has a back injury and was in a hospital, but it really seems (convenient) like next year they're going to go all out and add more shows to make up for some money. Even though they tend to lose money on this tour by traveling from city to city and having multiple stages.

 

It's awful to think this way, but things happened as I imagined. There were no reports at all about rehearsals. Not a peep. I found this odd. Then the 1st you hear about any of that was the announcement of the back injury and that Salt Lake City (the 3rd) is cancelled. Which is odd considering the next concert was 3 days later in Anaheim. Will Bono take magic pills from lucky magic doctors to recover for a show on the 6th? Then you don't hear anything for a few days then they postpone the whole tour until next year which I saw coming because they are booked in the months I mentioned above for Europe. And I don't see them postponing those shows. They are sneaky.

 

Ultimately, this sucks for the fans who have to reschedule trips etc. until next year. And it will be the same time frame too with this outdoor show for the United States. Expect them to be back in May - October of 2011.

Y'know, this theory is just crazy enough to be nuts.

[solace]

I hate to say it, but this all seems like U2 is pulling a fast one on everyone by canceling their shows in North America only which ran through mid July.

Take a look and they are doing a European tour from early August to October. That's not cancelled yet?

Guaranteed when they reschedule in 2011 they will add a Boston date and many others that they couldn't do now in June/July of 2010. It was too soon and there wasn't really a market for it yet. Yeah they are playing Chicago, Toronto and NJ again, but who knows if that's sold out.

But if they add more shows for places they already played in 2009, it will be ok because enough time will have passed to whet the appetite.

 

Ok. I kind of believe Bono has a back injury and was in a hospital, but it really seems (convenient) like next year they're going to go all out and add more shows to make up for some money. Even though they tend to lose money on this tour by traveling from city to city and having multiple stages.

 

It's awful to think this way, but things happened as I imagined. There were no reports at all about rehearsals. Not a peep. I found this odd. Then the 1st you hear about any of that was the announcement of the back injury and that Salt Lake City (the 3rd) is cancelled. Which is odd considering the next concert was 3 days later in Anaheim. Will Bono take magic pills from lucky magic doctors to recover for a show on the 6th? Then you don't hear anything for a few days then they postpone the whole tour until next year which I saw coming because they are booked in the months I mentioned above for Europe. And I don't see them postponing those shows. They are sneaky.

 

Ultimately, this sucks for the fans who have to reschedule trips etc. until next year. And it will be the same time frame too with this outdoor show for the United States. Expect them to be back in May - October of 2011.

 

the Minneapolis show sold out 60,000 tickets in under 2 hours...

 

as for rehearsals... they had already started setting up the stage in Salt Lake City for the rehearsals (there's videos and photo footage if you don't believe me)

[u2roolz]

I guess my mind started spinning last week because of the "postponement" of only 1 show. As if U2 would ever tag on a show at the end of this summer tour or better yet come back in the fall solely for one makeup gig.

 

I am just surprised that they didn't postpone everything in one fell swoop at the beginning instead of making it appear as if they were just postponing one show with this horrible injury and then everyone else's shows would be fine.

[Moss]

I'm sure it was in an article somewhere but I never actually heard how he hurt himself. Fall off the claw? Overzealous emoting? Slammed into the Edge? Tripped through the wires? Did Charles Manson try to steal Helter Skelter back? I really do want to know.

[SeattleC]

All I know right now is I'm bumming.....I was looking forward to an outdoor spectacle in our Sounders/Seahawks stadium.....

 

Not looking forward to a show in 2011, as I don't want to be another year older yet, but I'll keep the tickets.

[jcroach]

Anyone pick up the new DVD? Is it any good? The deluxe edition comes with a 7" of the song "Soon" that they've been using to open shows.

[u2roolz]

Anyone pick up the new DVD? Is it any good? The deluxe edition comes with a 7" of the song "Soon" that they've been using to open shows.

 

The special song that comes with the disc is only available starting June 22nd. It's been a really confusing time to buy a simple live dvd. I read that they cancelled the bonus deluxe edition which I assumed was the 2 disc edition (which I finally ended up buying), but it turns out that it is indeed the one below.

360 Tour Live DVD SUPER DUPER RIDICULOUS DELUXE EDITION

 

I didn't know about the bonus track and I'm sure I'll get it somehow through a U2 message board. Anyways, I went to my local Target with $13 left on a Xmas gift card and found only the single dvd set and assumed like I mentioned earlier that the "deluxe" 2 disc edition was sidetracked until late June. 2 days later I ended up finding the 2 disc edition which is not the one listed above. Then I had to go around and try to return my opened single dvd which made me learn new things. FYI: Target will do a direct exchange of a product and OPEN the package in front of you claiming it is part of the "copyright law". So I was right where I started. Luckily, Best Buy took my copy and gave me a new sealed one which I will bring back and get a gift card for when I tell them it was a gift.

 

OK. Enough of that confusing bullshit. I'm confused. (Edit for clarification: There are 3 editions of this concert disc: Single disc barebones version, 2 disc w/2 hours of bonus content, then the Deluxe 2 disc w/2 hours of bonus content, 7" vinyl of "Soon" & 32 page hardcover tour book.)

 

Mini Review: The whole flow of the show is off in certain places. 1) They did a dumb thing of not putting Breathe 1st like it was played in the actual concert. Instead they made this the "SOLE" live bonus song in the 2 disc edition (which I bought ). Get On Your Boots is a pretty decent opener and it kind of makes sense visually, but following it with Magnificent and then Mysterious Ways just seems odd. Magnificent is too long of a song to be 2nd. It worked really well in the only show that I went to last year (Foxboro 2) as the opener. By leaving Breathe as opener and building the momentum, it would sound and be a lot better with Magnificent as 3rd song. There's also other parts of the show that are jarring. It should be noted that U2 tweaked the setlist a whole lot on this tour in the United States feeling that America wasn't warm to the new stuff which is why Europe and the 1st Chicago show (tour opener) were greeted with 4 new songs off the new album to open the show much like the Zoo TV Tour.

 

That being said it is a great show. The energy level never really took off, maybe in a few places like the always reliable Until The End Of The World and the "what were they thinking...i guess it kinda worked.." I'll Go Crazy Tonight dance remix. Other than that I wish that they used an earlier show, instead of the 2nd to last show.

 

Mise En Scene: This is where it helps if you've seen the show or are familiar with the gigantic stage. I felt lost trying to figure out what and where they were supposed to be in relation to the stage and I've seen the show in person and looked at youtube clips. It seems like Bono spends a lot more time in the stage portion of the set with the band and not on the outer loop. So when this gets filmed you only see the band and a little bit of the audience.

 

On The Plus + Side: You get the 1st live concert video performances of The Unforgettable Fire (not included on Rattle & Hum) and Ultraviolet (dropped for the Zoo TV Australian tour which became the dvd) which also happen to be my 2 personal highlights of the show and a lot of fans too.

 

What's Not On Here: Your Blue Room. They debuted this in Chicago on night 2 and did a satellite link up with the astronauts. I saw it at my show and it was quite beautiful. It's a song from the Passengers side project that they did in 1995. Electrical Storm. Another never played classic that finally debuted at one of the European shows and they really nailed it. For whatever reason it was played once more and than that was it. New Year's Day. After the PopMart tour they haven't been playing this song as regularly as in the past, but they still play it and they rotated this with Until The End Of The World which actually used to precede it on the Zoo TV tour and PopMart tour. Edit: Also, after that 1st Chicago show U2 stopped playing Pride which was quite fantastic. It needs a break. So do not be surprised when you don't see it on the back cover. And U2 also stopped playing Bad which was used to close out the main set which quite frankly seemed a bit long and had big shifts in momentum. Example: Sunday Bloody Sunday-Pride-MLK-Walk On-Where The Streets Have No Name-One-Bad. Eventually, they even flipped Streets and Walk On and put the Desmond Tutu "One" speech video before One where it always supposed to be, but somehow was before Streets because of it's organ introduction.

 

What Happens To The Tour Now That This Is Released: Well, I for one questioned this and wonder how this will hurt ticket sales. Or make people sell their ticket if they were on the fence about going and now will buy the dvd and say "Well, I saw the show on dvd and own it. No need to go." That brings me to some pretty good news: U2 is booking a stadium in Italy for 2 weeks before the start of the "Not-Delayed-Yet European Tour 2010". The Edge states that they will "intend to change the setlist from last year". How much of a change before the postponement of the US tour we'll never know, but now the stakes are raised pretty high to really deviate from the safety zone that U2 has backed themselves into over the past couple of tours and will really need to show that they can compete with themselves really to bring people in. They're going to have to take some risks with some songs and change it up a lot more than last year now that everyone potentially can own this show that will be coming to you this summer or next year.

[jcroach]

Thanks for the review u2roolz. I haven't picked it up yet. I'll probably go for the single disc edition until i break down and buy an HDTV and Bluray player.

 

Not really surprised about the exclusion of "Your Blue Room" and "Electrical Storm." Seems like these discs are meant to be more for the mass market and are tour overviews, but as a fan, I would have loved to have seen both of them. Kind of like the nights when they pull fan onstage to play with them. Do they still do that? They did on the Elevation tour. i would have loved to have a video record of the performances of "Window in the Skies" from the Vertigo tour, but that didn't happen.

[u2roolz]

I'm thinking that they will release the inevitable post retirement Live Collection DVD of all of that stuff. Every past tour dating back to Zoo TV has been filmed for the live experience, so I expect a good chunk of stuff to be put on here such as Window In The Skies, Your Blue Room, etc.

 

Yes, they pulled up 4 men for the 360 tour debut of Stay in Berlin. I actually listened to that boot last night for the 1st time in awhile. Bono tried to mimic the video by having those 4 men play the U2 roles and watch the band as they performed the song.

[u2roolz]

From U2.com this morning:

 

Live Nation Entertainment announced today that the U2 360° tour dates in the US, which were recently postponed due to Bono’s emergency back surgery, have all been rescheduled for Spring/Summer 2011 with all tickets being valid at the rescheduled performances.

 

The 2010 European tour, which has not been affected, begins as scheduled on August 6th in Turin.

 

U2’s manager Paul McGuinness thanked fans for their ongoing support, “We’re delighted the dates are rescheduled and in all the same venues we originally planned to play. It hasn't been easy to accomplish this and I'd like to thank the managers of the many venues and sports teams across North America and Live Nation Global Touring for their help and cooperation in making this complex new plan possible. Above all we want to thank the U2 fans for bearing with us. They’re the best and the band wants to get back to where they belong, surrounded by their audience.”

 

The U2 360° Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring and sponsored in 2010 by BlackBerry.

 

The North American Tour rescheduled dates, are confirmed as follows:

 

May 21 Denver, CO Invesco Field (formerly June 12/10)

May 24 Salt Lake City, UT Rice Eccles Stadium (formerly June 3/10)

 

June 01 Edmonton, AB Commonwealth Stadium (formerly June 23/10)

June 04 Seattle, WA Qwest Field (formerly June 20/10)

June 07 Oakland, CA McAfee Coliseum (formerly June 20/10)

June 17 Anaheim, CA Angels Stadium (formerly June 6/10)

June 18 Anaheim, CA Angels Stadium (formerly June 7/10)

June 26 East Lansing, MI Spartan Stadium at MSU (formerly June 30/10)

June 29 Miami, FL *Sun Life Stadium

previously Dolphin Stadium (formerly July 9/10)

 

July 05 Chicago, IL Soldier Field (formerly July 6/10)

July 08 Montreal, QC Hippodrome (formerly July 16/10)

July 09 Montreal, QC Hippodrome (formerly July 17/10)

July 11 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre (formerly July 3/10)

July 14 Philadelphia, PA Lincoln Financial Field (formerly July 12/10)

July 20 East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium (formerly July 19/10)

July 23 Minneapolis, MN TCF Bank Stadium (formerly June 27/10)

 

 

Tickets for the previously scheduled performances will be honoured at the door. Tickets for the rescheduled performances will be available at www.livenation.com and all usual outlets. Refunds if required available at point of purchase.

 

Additional dates and cities to be confirmed.

 

 

Lol. I knew it that they'd find a way to add some more tour dates. They have a whole year to add some shows in some new (to this tour) & old cities.

[Moss]

Yay, I have a date to look forward to now! Only 1.5 years from the day I bought tickets!

 

 

[Analogman]

We're Coming Back

 

Adam, Larry, Edge and Bono have filmed a message for everyone at U2.com on the eve of their return: 'Thank you for standing by us'.

 

Bono Ready to Roll After Back Surgery

 

The 2009 swing of U2's ongoing 360-degrees World Tour was the biggest financial earner of the year, grossing more than $300 million - but U2 manager Paul McGuinness says the colossal show struggles to break even because it costs $750,000 daily to keep on the road.

[Analogman]

U2 Reworking Old Songs With Dave Hollister

 

U2 is in the midst of reworking at least two of its old songs with Dave Hollister as part of an as-yet-unknown project, according to the artist's Twitter feed.

 

"In the studio working with U2! Man I'm excited! Bono baby!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hollister, who is best known for his time in hitmaking R&B group BLACKstreet, wrote on July 19.

 

After U2 fans began sending him messages yesterday seeking more information, Hollister said he was collaborating with the group on new versions of the songs "Grace" from 2001's "All That You Can't Leave Behind" and "All I Want Is You" from 1988's "Rattle and Hum."

 

It is unclear if Hollister, who said he was in Sacramento, Calif., was actually in the same studio with members of U2 or whether they were working together from separate locations.

 

U2 Tour Dates Rescheduled for Spring/Summer 2010

 

As previously reported, U2's U2 360° tour will resume Aug. 6 in Turin, Italy, after being postponed in May due to frontman Bono having to undergo emergency back surgery. The North American portion of the trek will begin May 21, 2011, in Denver.

 

I am not familiar with the song Grace, as I have not listened to that album in years, but I don't know why they would mess with All I Want Is You. I think that is a great song.

[bleedorange]

I am not familiar with the song Grace, as I have not listened to that album in years, but I don't know why they would mess with All I Want Is You. I think that is a great song.

 

Grace is a great song. One of their best of the past decade.